State Auditor releases investigation findings for New Hampton Police Department

New Hampton, Iowa – Officials have released results of an investigation into a Northeast Iowa Police Department’s payroll system and use of vacation time.

State Auditor Rob Sand released a report Wednesday saying former New Hampton Police Chief Mike Anderson approved 72 hours of vacation carry-over for Sgt. Steve Stalder exceeding the 40 hour limit. The carryover was approved because Stalder wasn’t able to use the vacation hours due to department operations, according to the investigation.

Sand also notes Stalder used 80 hours of vacation ending in August of 2016, but payroll didn’t reflect that. The report says Anderson approved the compensatory time and kept the records himself before destroying them when he left the department.

Current Police Chief Zach Nosbisch placed Stalder and administrative secretary Karen Schmitt on administrative leave in September of 2018 when city officials requested an investigation. The findings are being turned over to the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations, Chickasaw County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.